The Siren's Call (A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

37. Cursed Double Standard

After everything with Mr. Crouch's elf, Mr. Weasley picked up Dioleh, who was still out like a light and began to carry her out of the forest, ignoring the many reporters wanting answers at the edge. Once he got into the tent, he carried her in where everyone else was gathered. With a sheet wrapped around his bleeding arm, Bill asked, "What happened?"

Setting her down on the couch, Mr. Weasley explained, "She passed out. Some kind of panic attack." The moment he said it, Dioleh opened her eyes with a small groan. Rubbing the spot over her heart, she got up groggily. When she sat up, she didn't ask what had happened. She remembered everything. Shakily, she got to her feet and rushed from the tent to, the others presumed, the girl's tent. Instead, she ran out into the woods, away from everyone else.

"Dioleh," a voice said. She paused, turning to see the last person she expected.

Her eyes wide, Dioleh breathed, "Julio." Rushing toward him, she quickly hugged him, exclaiming, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," he said, returning the embrace. Pulling away, Dioleh saw that he was disparagingly thin and his purple hair hung around the base of his neck. Dark circles hung under his blue-purple eyes. "Listen, I don't have much time. I need to tell you something."

"Okay, what is it?" Dioleh asked, crossing her arms over her chest. This must have been why he was trying to find her.

Swallowing tensely, he admitted, "I messed up, Dioleh." Dioleh frowned. With a sigh, he explained, "I messed up really badly. Here, this is going to take some time to explain." Julio sat down on a tree stump and Dioleh leaned back against a tree, tilting her head to listen. "After I was taken from Hogwarts, Fudge tried to have me killed, but Dumbledore was fighting to get me safe passage back to my people. When that didn't work, he gave me a chance to escape. I've been on the run ever since. But I got in contact with Andre."

Frowning, Dioleh asked, "Why just Andre?"

"Because I actually knew where he was staying," Julio explained. "I never really found out with Imani and you, I wouldn't have known where to find you even if you had told me while we went to school together. He told me what happened with Harry and the curse and how they got you back. I had just found out when someone tracked me down and kidnapped me."

"What?" Dioleh exclaimed.

Looking paler, Julio explained, "It was some sod named Barty Crouch Jr. He had taken me to this old house where there was another man named Peter Pettigrew and..." Julio glanced up to see Dioleh was hanging on every word he said, holding her breath to make sure she didn't miss a word. "It was You-Know-Who." Seeing no doubt in her eyes, he remarked, "You don't seem surprised."

"W-What did they want with you?" Dioleh asked, the colour draining from her face.

With a sigh, he rubbed his forehead and admitted, "They knew what I am." His voice suddenly pained, he corrected, "Was."

Dioleh's eyes widened. "Was?" she repeated. "Julio, you didn't-" He nodded, tears forming in his eyes.

"I was in Azkaban awaiting trial for two weeks," he said, wiping away his tears.

"Julio-" Dioleh began, tears in her own eyes as she thought about how she would feel if she lost who she was.

His voice hardening, he interrupted, "That's not the point." Looking directly at her, he explained, "You-Know-Who is interested in siren magic. He thinks that with it on his side he can defeat Dumbledore, even kill him. He wanted to know who the most powerful siren is. After what happened in the lake...that's you, Dioleh."

"What?" she said. "But-"

"Have you tried using your magic?" Julio asked, cutting her off. "Because if you have, you should have felt a difference." Running a hand through his purple hair, he said, "Regardless, he wanted to know. I refused to tell him, but he...he had Crouch torture me. Finally I..." Slowly, as if bracing himself for a blow, he admitted, "I told him." Dioleh stared at him, her eyes unblinking. Julio glanced at her, trying to read her expression but she just stared at him, her expression unreadable. When she still didn't say anything, he rambled, "And now he knows where you are and what you are and-" Dioleh held up her hand to silence him, her lips slightly parted as her mind attempted to process what she was hearing.

Finally, she said in a slow, shaky voice, "And what, exactly, does he want with me?"

"He's going to try and recruit you," Julio said regretfully. "And if you reject him, I'd imagine he'd..." Dioleh raised her eyebrows at him, gesturing for him to finish his sentence. "Well, I'd imagine he would...kill you." Dioleh drew in a deep breath, sliding down to sit on the ground and hiding her face behind her hand. "But he doesn't know who you are! I just told him you were at Hogwarts but that I didn't know who you were!"

"What's the point?" she said quietly. Julio looked up at her. "What's the point of staying here and not just finding a tribe to take me in."

"Imani and Andre for one. Your promise to the ancestors, for another," Julio replied. "Your sister for a third reason."

"Right," Dioleh sighed, rubbing her eyes. "What am I supposed to do? It's not like I can talk to anyone about it."

After thinking for a moment, Julio said, "What if there was?"

Brows furrowed, Dioleh replied, "Who?"

"Dumbledore knows," Julio said. "From what Andre said, he's found out. You could talk to him."

Looking up sharply, Dioleh scoffed, "Talk to Dumbledore?" Standing, she ran a hand through her hair, snapping, "Talk...to Dumbledore. Are you even hearing yourself? You want me to talk to freaking Albus Dumbledore!"

"Dioleh, hear me out," Julio said, also getting to his feet and moving in front of her. "He already knows, what is the worst that could happen?" When she merely scoffed, he snapped, "Why are you so against this?"

"Oh, I don't know, Julio," Dioleh hissed, glancing over toward the campsites to make sure they weren't being overheard. "Maybe because he's a Cheif Warlock on the Wizengamot, which, as if I need to remind you, is the very same high court that would have me killed and tried to kill you! And kill all of our people without a care for age, intent, or-"

"I get it, Dioleh!" Julio shouted. "But he could help you!"

"Why are you so ready to defend him?" Dioleh shouted back. "He's a wizard! His people have murdered us for centuries!"

Flaring up, Julio retorted, "Yeah? And so is the arrogant prat you keep spending time with."

Completely caught off guard, Dioleh sputtered, "Dray is not a part of this conversation."

"'Dray', is it?" Julio snapped venomously. "How can you trust him and not Dumbledore?! He's a bloody Malfoy!"

"And Dumbledore's a...a Dumbledore!" Dioleh retorted shakily.

"I would hope so," a voice behind them said. Dioleh wheeled around, her heart speeding up in her chest as she let out a cry of surprise, her wand raised. With a grim smile on his face, Dumbledore said, "It would be quite disagreeable to discover after over a hundred years that my parents were not my parents." Looking at Julio, he added, "It's good to see you, Mr. Ortego."

Nodding his head, Julio replied, "Dumbledore."

"It was quite risky coming here," he said. "You know you could have sent me a letter and I could have told Dioleh what happened."

"Believe me, she needed to hear it from me," Julio replied.

Rolling her eyes, Dioleh snapped, "I'm right here."

With an amused chuckle, Dumbledore suggested, "Perhaps we should all be going to our prospective sleeping arrangments."

"Why are you even here?" Dioleh asked aggressively.

Glancing back to where the Dark Mark still hung, Dumbledore replied, "I have my reasons. Come, we have much to discuss, Mr. Ortego. I will see you in a few days, Ms. Granger." Dioleh simply stared after him as he disappeared with Julio deeper into the woods.